Support for human bodies



NOV' 14, 1933- A. A. EvERsoN SUPPORT FOR HUMAN BODIES Filed Aug. 8. 1931 IIE-1 FIE'E l i I FI BY ATTORNEY.

UNITI-.1py fsTATEs 1,934,918 SUPPORT FOR HUMAN BODIES August A. Everson, Davenport, Iowa. v Application August 8,1931. Serial No. 555,934

3 Claims.

While the present disclosure relates more par ticularly to the dressing of cadavers, it will be understood that the block here illustrated may be .used for other purposes without departing 5 from the spirit of my invention. Among the ob jects of this invention are to provide a device for supporting a portion of a human body in ya convenient position for dressing, operations, or-

the like; to provide a device of the character indicated which will make it easy to put clothing upon cadavere; land such further objects, advan` tages and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherentv in the construction disclosed herein. My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing and, while I have shown therein what is now considered the preferred embodiment of this invention, I desire the same to be understood as illustrative only and not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

In the drawing annexed hereto and Vforming a part hereof,

Fig. 1 is an elevation illustrating my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end View of this invention` illustrating the use thereof in supporting either a live or dead body. While I have chosen to make this structure of partly vulcanized or semi-hard rubber, it will be understood that the same may be made of other materials, such as wood or metal. Naturally, the semihardened rubber will have a certain amount of plasticity or'resilience and will therefore be Ymore comfortable when the block is used for the support of a living person. However, it might be made of aluminum and be lighter in weight than when made of rubber. Such a bloei: could be made integral, as illustrated in the present drawing, and would work entirely satisfactorily on a flat dressing table. However, it is the custom at present to have the table top curved transversely in order to permit fluids to iiow from the table top into the troughs at the sides of the table. When a block of semi-cured rubber is used, it will bend and conform to the table top and will not rock thereon. If a solid block such as wood or metal were used, it could be made in more than one piece'and the pieces hinged together. This would permit the block` to bend at the joints to conform more or less to the surface of the table top. Also, the bottom of the block could be made concaved so that the outer ends would rest upon a flat table or the whole bottom surface upon a curved table. These are Vmerely various ways of accomplishing the same purpose as is accomplished by the `use of the rubber block.,

In the annexed drawing, the block is represented as comprising two hollow ends 1 connected by a hollow bridge 2 which parts rest upon the dressing table and leave an opening 3 above the bridge 2 and below the body being dressed, the position of which is illustrated by dotted lines 4. In dressing a body, the'clothing is placed around the upper part of the body and drawn down to the block. In case it is the body of a man which is being dressed, thehand is put through the Vopening 3 to draw the shirt down into position so that the front and back parts thereof may be fastenedtogether to hold the shirt smooth while the rest of the clothing is being put on. Thesame operation could be used in dressing a patient in a hospital, or elsewhere. Inasrnuch as various uses oanrbe made of this construction, I do not aim'that any limitation be placed upon the scope of my invention because of the description of any particular use.

, Fig. 3 shows how the block is used in supporting a body as described above. l Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A structure of the nature indicated comprising a pair of supporting end members flexibly connected together by a bridge attached to one side thereof, said end members being spaced and being extended laterally away from the means connecting them so as to vleave an opening for the passage of a hand between the end members and within the contour of thewhole. p

2. A structure for the purpose indicated comprising a unit made in part at least of eXible material, said unit having a pair of end supporting elements spaced suiiciently for the insertion of a hand, said end supporting elements being flexibly connected so. as to conform to a support upon which the implementrests, when supporting a human body, and the 'space between the supporting elements being sufficiently unobstructed so that a hand can be passed completely through the unitfbetween the iiexible connecting means and a body supported on the end elements.

3. A structure for the purpose indicated com,- prising means for supporting a partY of the weight of a'huinan body, said means comprising hollow end members and a hollow bridge, thel Y end-members extendingrlaterally from one side of the bridge and being spaced so as to permit lthe insertion of a hand between them and belOO 

